PARB NEWSLETTER
Chief Executive: Dr. Mubarik Ali
Editor & Designer: Maryam Naseer
Email: rpo@parb.gop.pk
3rd Floor ZTBL, 47-The Mall, Lahore
Ph: +92 -42-37232744 Ext. 616
Fax: +92 -42-37247594
Website: www.parb.gop.pk
Volume No.: XXI
Issue: May , 2012
Visit of Internees P&D Department
A group of six internees from Planning and Development (P&D) department visited PARB in order to
have an understanding of agricultural research and role of PARB. Chief
Executive PARB Dr. Mubarik Ali
through a presentation highlighted
that increase in yield enabled us to
feed over four times more population. He explained that export gap
has been increased immensely in the research projects in crops and live- the internees to please play their
last few decades, thus putting pres- stock sectors and many are in time- effective role as nations are equipsure on our economy. “We are los- line too. He briefly informed the ping themselves with laboratories
ing international market as flow of process of funding research pro- and scientists as being their best
new technology is poor in Paki- jects and the strict monitoring weapon of war against food insestan” he commented. The root caus- mechanism through which every curity. He further commented that
es of research as explained by Dr. project has to go with defined pa- nation’s struggle lies in the
Mubraik Ali include little incentive rameters. Dr. Mubarik Ali stressed achievement of scientific innovato be innovative, lack of collabora- the role of policy makers in speed- tions and Pakistan lagged far betion between institutes & disciplines ing up the process of introducing hind in this. The internees took
and poor scientific monitoring and research and innovation in Pakistan keen interest and thanked Chief
evaluation system. PARB was creat- so that we may compete with inter- Executive PARB Dr. Mubarik Ali
ed to overcome the problems of re- national standard in our products. for giving his precious time and
search through the pillars of Plan- The door of research is here, need motivated them to do constructive
ning, Coordination and Monitoring is only to open new horizons in work for the uplift of economy
of research projects in Punjab. order to combat future challenges. through R & D.
PARB has funded 53 output oriented In conclusive remarks he directed
Page 2
PARB NEWSLETTER
12 PARB’s Projects Evaluated
The 26th Board Meeting of PARB held under the chairmanship of Minister for Agriculture Punjab,
Ahmed Ali Aulkah, decided to technically evaluate 12 PARB’s funded projects through independent evaluator. The evaluation has been done successfully during last two month and showed satisfactory performance of all these projects, in line with the approved schedule of the activities. The
list of 12 projects is as below:
 Improvement of chickpea productivity through the identification of drought tolerant and disease resistant chickpea genotype for marginal lands
 Development and Commercialization of Cotton Leaf Virus Resistant/Tolerant Indigenous
Transgenic Bt and Glyphosate Resistant Cotton Hybrids (5 hybrids)
 Sugarcane plant improvement through traditional and modern breeding technologies.
 Development of Transgenic Cotton with multiple genes resistant to cotton leaf curl virus
[CLCV, bollworm, and herbicide resistant genes in two varieties VH-289 and MNH-786 as
well a in coker]
 Integrated Pest Management of (IPM) Aphids on Wheat Crop
 Novel approach to generate wide spectrum resistance to all cotton begomoviruses infecting cotton and other cultivated crops
 Development of meat type Japanese quail with higher body weight acclimitized to indigenous
managemental conditions through 6 generations of selective breeding programme
 Exploiting CA technology potential for extended storage and shipping of fresh produce to international markets.
 Micro Propagation of Date Palm through Tissue Culture
 Evaluation of Phosphoric Acid as an alternate to commercial phosphate fertilizer and enhancing its efficiency for higher productivity
 Safeguarding Pakistani Wheat from potential disease threats
 Control of Bacterial leaf blight in rice through management and resistant varieties
World Environment Day
Japan International Award
for Young Agricultural
Researchers, 2012
The 2012 theme for World
Environment Day is “Green
Economy”, The UN Environment Programme defines the
Green Economy as one that results in improved human well-being and
social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and
ecological scarcities. Practically speaking, a Green Economy is one
whose growth in income and employment is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance
energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity
and ecosystem services.
Young researchers engaged in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and related industries, under 40 years of age
can apply for this Award. The last
date for submission of application is
29th June 2012.
For details please visit the website:
http://www.jircas.affrc.jp/
index.html
PARB NEWSLETTER
Page 3
Exhibition on Technologies ( R & D) for Rice Sector
A seminar was also held on this exhibition to discuss the key issues of rice industry including poor linkages and infrastructure, lack of funds, untrained manpower in rice cultivation and low investment in
R &D. The issues related to pre and post-harvest in rice were also discussed in detail. The pre harvest
issues includes non- interventions of government to improve rice cultivation & harvesting, lack of awareness among farmers and use of modern technology. Chief Executive PARB Dr. Mubarik Ali chaired the
session of Post- Harvest issues in rice, which were discussed as non-consistency in fabrication/finishing
& lack of automation, non-certification, unhygienic store facilities, low production &value addition in
products and wastage during milling. The participants suggested to strengthen extension wing of agriculture department, focused on output oriented research projects, encourage private sector collaboration in
R & D, technical training for the farmers and enhance foreign partnership for machinery improvement to
resolve the key issues of pre and post harvesting issues. All the exhibitors and presenters were awarded
shields as a vote of acknowledgement for their active participation.
PARB’s Projects In Glimpse
Monitoring of a project at Bahawalpur to control
Wheat Rust
Monitoring at University of Agriculture Faisalabad on
a project of Sudden Mango Death Syndromes ( SMDS)
Monitoring of a project at Cotton Research Station
Multan to Develop CLCV resistant cotton hybrid
Monitoring at Punjab University Lahore on a
project of CLCV through RNAi technique
PARB NEWSLETTER
Page 4
AGRI NEWS
International Symposium In Brazil
The Brazilian Society of Agricultural and Agro Industrial Waste Management and its co-promoters are organizing the III International Symposium on Agricultural and Agro Industrial Waste Management in Brazil on 12 th to
14th March 2013 in Brazil. The most relevant scientific topics to be discussed involve waste from agriculture,
livestock and agro industrial activities.
Papers can be submitted until 28th September 2012 and the best paper will be selected for publication in the scientific Journal Scientia Agricola according guidance in III Sigera’s website.
For information please visit : www.sbera.org.br/sigera2013 and sigera2013@gmail.com
SCHOLARSHIP
The Crawford Fund is now calling for nominations for its Crawford Fund Fellowship for 2012. The training will
take place at an Australian institution and will emphasize the application of knowledge to increase agricultural
production . The closing date for nominations is 29 June 2012.
More information can be found at: http://www.crawfordfund.org/training/awards/fellow/cfa2012.html
4TH NATIONAL WHEAT CONFERENCE & KISAN MELLA 2012 at UoS
Pakistan Agricultural Scientist Society (PASS) invited world renowned atomic scientist Dr. Samar Mubarakmand as Chief Guest to inaugurate 4th National Wheat Conference and Kisan Mella on 26 th March, 2012
at University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha ( UoS). Dr. Mand stressed that Pakistan
should utilize its natural resources and reserves of coal, natural gas, gold and copper to overcome the prevailing energy and electricity crisis. He said that a heavy amount of coal gas was being produced in Thar
desert that could be used to produce cheap electricity, diesel and even petrol for our home consumption.
“The idea is not a new one; already South Africa has done it successfully and boosted up its economy
from its mineral reserves” he maintained. He also suggested the agricultural scientists that we should not
only increase our agricultural yields, but also develop the agriculture sector as an industry. He quoted UoS
as an exemplary educational university and now its management should collaborate with international Universities to facilitate students. Vice-Chancellor UoS Prof. Dr. Mohammad Akram Chaudhary, in his welcome address informed that faculty will follow the footsteps of Dr Samar Mubarakmand to evolve new
high yielding crop varieties and disease free citrus nurseries. Lt. General (r) Faiz Jillani Malik, Maj. Gen.
Imtiaz Hussain Sherazi, Prof. Dr Muhammad Afzal, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, and Secretary General
PASS Dr. Ijaz Rasool Noorka also addressed at the conference.
International Event
Dr. Sardar Alam, Assistant Professor Agronomy Dept. UAF and Dr.
Abdul Wakeel Assistant Professor Institute of Soil and Environmental
Sciences UAF attended 6th World Congress on Allelopathy held in
China through PARB travel grant opportunity. Scientists all around
the world were there to present their work related to advances researches in the field of allelopathy. The theme of the conference was
“Allelopathy Research for Sustainable Development- from theory
to practice”. They thanked PARB for providing them such a great
opportunity that will enhance their skills to practically utilize
allelopathy to increase agricultural productivity.
What is Allelopathy
It has been used in various ways to
solve the problems related to crop production. For example Genetically
Modified varieties of different crops
having allelopathic effect against
weeds have been developed. It has also
been used for the growth promotion of
different crops and also for pest management especially for weeds.